Stop. And. Stare. At my favorite chocolate chip chia banana bread.
It is SO good friends. So good that my family ate it ALL before I even had a chance to post this. Less than 24 hours and the WHOLE loaf was gone!
I may have had a part to play in that.
But be prepared. You may need to make a double batch and hide one loaf for yourself where no one can find it. Just remember to wipe the chocolate off your face before exiting your secret chocolate chip chia banana bread hiding place.
I actually have a DEEP dislike for bananas. The taste. The smell. It makes me crinkle up my face with deep dislike just thinking about it. You will never see me eating just a plain ole banana or blending one into a smoothie. Ugh.
I know, I know… I can already hear the virtual blogging masses saying “What?! How can you not like bananas?!”
I dunno. It’s just the way it is. Don’t judge. This will most likely be the only banana laden recipe you will ever see from me on this blog. And it is SO TASTY!
Not only do I totally love this banana bread even though I totally don’t love bananas,
- Bananas offer up loads of potassium, fiber, vitamin C and B6 supporting heart health and also fights the formation of free radicals known to combat cancer.
- Chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids which help to raise HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol that helps to promote against heart attack and stroke).
- And my favorite part of all…dark chocolate. Yummms…forever and ever. Besides the fact that dark chocolate is my most fave thing in the world (besides family, friends, etc… you know what I mean right?) dark chocolate contains awesome health benefits like helping to lower blood pressure and acting as a potent antioxidant. Dark chocolate for the win!
And I haven’t even touched on the benefits of cinnamon, coconut oil, walnuts (another superfood), and unsweetened apple sauce, all of which are packed into this awesome loaf of yum.
So what are you waiting for! Get out your stand mixer and your overly ripe brown spotted bananas and get baking!
And then, just as the oven timer is about to go off signaling that banana bread eating bliss is near, be ready as people slowly begin gathering into your kitchen, drawn in by the magnetic force of freshly baked banana bread. Make sure they are all enjoying and deeply absorbed in their slice of bread before you pull the second loaf out from the oven. You know…so you can go and hide it for later. : )
Favorite Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Chia Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 10 1x
Description
Moist, soft and loaded with healthy ingredients. This chocolate chip chia banana bread is a delicious gluten-free alternative to traditional banana bread.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup packed coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 ½ cups brown rice flour
- 1/4 cup chia seeds (plus a little more for sprinkling on top)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1/2 cup apple sauce
- 3 bananas, mashed well with a fork
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (plus a little more for sprinkling on top)
- 1/2 cup walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or oil well with coconut oil.
- Using a stand mixer beat the eggs and coconut sugar on high for 7 or 8 minutes until the mixture is thick and light in color (see picture in post).
- Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- When the egg mixture is ready, turn the mixer to a low setting and add in the following order: vanilla extract, coconut oil, applesauce and mashed bananas. Mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients, chocolate, and walnuts mixing gently until everything incorporates.
- Transfer mixture to a loaf pan. Sprinkle top with chia seeds and chocolate chips (optional).
- Bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Enjoy!
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Hi! Has anyone tried making this with another type of flour? I don’t have brown rice flour. Would a gluten-free all purpose flour work? I also have almond flour, but that’s really dense. Thanks ahead for your help! Kelly
Hi Kelly! Thanks for your question! Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour would work for this recipe. The taste will be slightly different, but it will still be yummy.I can’t vouch for other gluten-free all purpose flours though, since they really are all so different from one another with the types and proportions of flours they use. And I would agree with you, that almond flour would be too dense. Happy baking!
Been wanting the make this forever…finally did and it’s great! So delicious!
★★★★★
Awesome Jessica! Thanks for your comment and I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
I was just craving banana bread earlier tonight – This version looks delicious!
Better take care of that craving then Christine! ; ) Enjoy!
I’m not a banana lover, but this looks really good. Wondering if plantains could be used instead. I find them to be less pungent.
I’m definitely NOT a banana lover either, like to the point where they make me gag. (sorry, TMI.) Buuut I LUV them in this bread. Totally weird I know. Maybe give it a try first with the bananas and if it just doesn’t do it for you, give the plantains a try. I’ve never made it with plantains but it would be worth a try! If you bake it with plantains I’d love to hear how it goes!
This is such a great way to add chia seeds to something! I cant wait to try this!
Thanks Michele! Enjoy!
This bread is fantastic. We have made double batches the last few months!
★★★★★
This looks totally scrumptious, Shannon! Nothing beats a delicious banana bread 🙂
Thank you Veronica! And yes, a couple minutes right after it comes out of the oven when it’s just cool enough for you to grab a slice and not burn your hand and the chocolate is all melty inside…seriously the best : )
Have you ever made this without a mixer? Beating by hand? Does it work out?
Thanks!
Katie
Yes Katie, you can totally make this without a mixer and just mix it by hand! You will most likely just have a slightly different density/texture as the purpose of creaming the eggs and sugar on high for so long is to create a banana bread that is lighter and more cake-like in texture. Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes!
Looks yummy
Has to be one of the best looking banana breads I have seen in while…those melty, gooey chocolate chips and walnut banana texture – I just wish I could grab it right out of the screen. Not surprised AT ALL that it disappeared so quickly! 🙂
Thanks Claudia : ) Wouldn’t that be AWESOME if they made computers where you could just reach in try a slice of this banana bread?! We might never leave our computers!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Just have to wait for my bananas to be ripened enough…
★★★★★
Enjoy Jeri and let me know how you like it!